Mail for Missionaries

Is it seriously July already? SERIOUSLY!?

You all know that boy I seem to talk about a little too much? Yea well he leaves on his mission in what is it now.. 22 DAYS?

I thought I had more time, but let me tell you, it goes by fast.

Anyways, when I realized my time was cut so short to find Elder Rosequist a gift before he left I about had a heart attack.

I want something that he will actually be able to use and not just sit on his night stand until the next transfer.

I want to give his something that will make him laugh and cry and feel a little bit more at home!

It can't be heavy or bulky because he has to lug it around for 2 years.

Everyone will be getting him ties.

So that's when it hit me ya'll, and thank goodness for Pinterest...

"Open When..." Letters!

If you don't know what Open When letters are they are letters you write ahead of time and label then "Open When..... (fill in occasion)"

A couple of my ideas were:

-you are sick

-you leave the MTC

-need encouragement

-the weather is bad

-you are home sick

-miss me

-you need a pump of patriotism

-you need to be uplifted

-you get your first baptism

-you need a good laugh

-you have 6 months left

-its the last day of your mission

 

 

 

And to make this idea even cuter! This is where Pinterest comes in Make your own envelopes!

I swear to you it's totally worth it!

They come out soooooooooo cute! And I'm going to show you how to do it!
Thank me later.
 

Start with a store bought envelope that is the size you want your envelopes to turn out. This is going to be your template.

 

Next break the seams on the envelope and unfold it.

 

 

Place the envelope on the construction paper, scrapbook paper, cardstock, or whatever you used. I used a mix of cardstock and scrapbook paper for cute designs.

 

 

Then trace the envelope, make sure when you are tracing you trace very sharp corners and straight lines. If you mess up the markings retrace or when you fold it back up it may not fit together right.

 

 

 

It will look like this when you're done tracing.

 

 

 

Next cut your trace again with very sharp edges.

 

 

 

Voila! Now it's time to fold!

 

 

I always start folding with the bottom flap (the one with a dull edge.) Then each of the side flaps. This is tricky, so make sure when you are folding the flaps over they line up perfectly.

Glue where the arrow lines are then press over onto the middle flap. You can use liquid glue, a glue stick, mod podge, or a hot glue gun which is what I used. I just think it's sturdier and less messy.

 

 

And there you have your envelope!

  I even got a little bit witty with my envelope design choice. I'm using this one for the patriotic letter.

 

... And this one for "The Last Letter" Haha! Sometimes I think I'm so funny!

 

 

 

 

 

To fill the envelopes I filled some(most) with letters. I filled some with talks and uplifting quotes.

Stories or inside jokes.

I plan on putting a tie in one so he can spruce up his wardrobe when it's needed.

And a little bit of spending money when his guy appetite needs to be fed.

You can use these "Open When" letters for a missionary or just for cute cardstock, but feel free to use any of my ideas!

 

 

All my love, Lauren

 



Wonderstruck

So this past week I have been at girls camp!

And that was crazy and wonderful and a week of a lifetime that I never want to forget, but this blog post is not about girls camp.

This blog post is about an unexpected turn of events in my attempt to create tradition.

Ok I will explain.

 

 

Last year after girls camp I invited Joseph over for dinner the day I got back.

I wanted to tell him every little detail about everything.

He came over and I made lasagna and we talked and played games all night and it was so much fun.

So this year I thought it would be such a great idea to have him over again!

I made lasagna just like I did the year before and already planned all the stories I would tell him and all the games we would get to play and I was a little bit giddy.

Well Joseph seemed to be running on MST Mormon Standard Time.

He was extra late coming home from working on his farm and I know how much hard work that is and that its easy to run late so I just cut him some slack and put a plate together for him and through it in the fridge to warm up when he got here.

Well another change of plans, he sometimes cleans an office building and I guess he needed to do it that night.

So no games.

My super fun start of a tradition night that I planned was looking like a disaster, but I decided to go with him and clean this office with him which I had done before.

And let me tell you, I wouldn't have traded the night for anything in the whole world.

We spent a little time at his house before heading over to the office.

His home is heaven on earth, in a way I cant even begin to explain.

I think it's how his dad hugs me and gives me a couple good squeezes when he sees me, welcoming me home. And standing at the front door smelling an amazing home cooked meal.

I think it's spirit that melts away contentions, but that's not even the best part of the night.

I love the car rides that require no music because the constant laughter and conversation fills the air.

I love the quiet moments we all feel perfectly content without needing to say a word.

I love popping out from behind corners to scare Joseph and his brother when we are cleaning and singing and dancing with my broom, and being silly and messing around.

I love long hugs when I'm being dropped off and I love how the simplest things in the world can mean the most when they are done with people we love.

 

 

AND ITS WONDERFUL

 

Because it struck me in that moment.

It was a perfectly unexpected night and I wouldn't have had it any other way.

 

 

 

All my love, Lauren.

Extreme Makeover Blog Edition

Boy.. I really didn't realize how ugly my blog was until I started venturing out more to check out others. I realized it was time for an upgrade. I'm still working on it, but I hope y'all can check it out and enjoy some of the new features!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Along the right side I added some picture of the most important things/ people in my life.

The LDS temple, nature, my best friend McKenzie who has influenced me so much.

The one, the only, Joseph. If you read this blog much you know how important he is.

Shoes, and my family. That is a lovely picture of my sister Lindsey and I on our last family vacation to Hawaii!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over here under my labels I have made it so you guys can check out some of my favorite blogs!

There are many that I read but these are my usuals. And they are fantastic.

Go check them out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OVER HERE NOW!

Under my blog archive I have added some contacts!

They are links to my Pinterest, Instagram and a Q&A section.

So now you can follow me and become nice and familiar with my life and the things that occupy me.

Please check these out, I want to follow back and get to know my readers! :)

 

 

 

 

And that's about it! I'm working on it, so I hope my page isn't too much of a construction zone!

Thanks for bearing with me. :)

 

 

 

 

All my love, Lauren.